20 Young Brazilian Entrepreneurs are selected for Professional Exchange in the USA YLAI

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The third edition of the program will take 250 young leaders from 36 Latin American and Caribbean

Brasilia, 20 August 2018 – The United States announces on Wednesday, August 22, the names of the 20 Brazilians selected for the Professional Scholarships Program – an initiative of the 2018 Young Leaders of the Americas (YLAI), sponsored by the Department of State. The young entrepreneurs were selected from among more than 2,400 applications from the Americas and the Caribbean and represent nine Brazilian states: Amazonas, Ceará, Distrito Federal, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul and Sao Paulo. All of them are engaged in initiatives such as education, women’s empowerment, employability, public service, nutrition, food security, environment, communication, management, personal development for inmates, digital marketing, tourism, sustainable financial solutions, and housing projects for low-income populations.

The program, which kicks off with a conference in Detroit, Michigan, will take place from September 20 to October 24. For four weeks, the young entrepreneurs will be hosted by U.S. companies, who will guide and oversee them in entrepreneurship courses in 20 U.S. cities: Albuquerque (NM), Austin (TX), Boston (MA), Burlington (VT), Charlottesville (VA), Chicago (IL), Cleveland (OH), Dallas (TX), Denver (CO), Detroit (MI), Kansas City (MO), Little Rock (AK), Louisville (KY), Miami (FL), Notre Dame (IN), Pittsburgh (PA), Portland (OR), Salt Lake City (UT), San Diego (CA) and Seattle (WA).

Later on, the group will conclude with a Closing Summit in Washington, D. C., which will focus on their leadership, entrepreneurial skills, and other specific knowledge. The objective is that, on their return to Brazil, the selectees will be empowered with new resources to make their projects a success. They will also have the permanent support of their American counterparts and a more extensive network of contacts, thus strengthening the bonds of businesses between Brazil and USA.

For more information about the Brazilian selectees and their projects, visit the website:

“We will not only study, we will have a mentor who will help us showcase our projects to other peers, not only to attract investment, but also to promote new practices, make the project more efficient and replicable,” said Rubenilson Cerqueira, 28 years old, from the Federal District.

Media queries: Before leaving for the United States, the twenty Brazilian selectees will meet in Sao Paulo, from 22 to 24 August, and will be available to speak to the press.

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